Forced moisture evacuation for rapid baking

ABSTRACT

A baking device is provided. The baking device includes a housing enclosing a baking compartment and an air handling compartment, the air handling compartment and the baking compartment being separated by a pressure panel that defines a rear wall of the baking compartment, the pressure panel including an aperture allowing fluid communication between the baking and air handling compartments. A blower wheel is mounted in conjunction with the aperture, such that rotation of the blower wheel urges air movement from the baking compartment and into the air handling compartment. A secondary blower is arranged in fluid communication with the air handling compartment, wherein operation of the secondary blower urges ambient air into the air handling compartment.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application No.61/839,976 filed on Jun. 27, 2013, the entirety thereof is hereby fullyincorporated by reference herein.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The technical field of the disclosure is related to baking ovens.

BRIEF SUMMARY

A first representative embodiment of the disclosure is provided. Theembodiment includes a baking device. The baking device includes ahousing enclosing a baking compartment and an air handling compartment,the air handling compartment and the baking compartment being separatedby a pressure panel that defines a rear wall of the baking compartment,the pressure panel including an aperture allowing fluid communicationbetween the baking and air handling compartments. A blower wheel ismounted in conjunction with the aperture, such that rotation of theblower wheel urges air movement from the baking compartment and into theair handling compartment. A secondary blower is arranged in fluidcommunication with the air handling compartment, wherein operation ofthe secondary blower urges ambient air into the air handlingcompartment.

Another representative embodiment of the disclosure is provided. Theembodiment includes a method of baking a food product. The methodincludes the steps of receiving an unrisen food product within a bakingcompartment of a baking device and allowing the unrisen food product torest within the baking compartment for a time to allow the unrisen foodproduct to rise. The method further includes the steps of operating asecondary blower to inject ambient air into the baking compartment afterthe time to allow the unrisen food product to rise is complete, andheating the baking compartment to bake the food product.

Advantages of the disclosed apparatus and method will become moreapparent to those skilled in the art from the following description ofembodiments that have been shown and described by way of illustration.As will be realized, other and different embodiments are contemplated,and the disclosed details are capable of modification in variousrespects. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regardedas illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a baking compartment and anair handling compartment of a baking device.

FIG. 2 is a right side view of the view of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view of detail A of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a view of a portion of the air handling compartment of FIG. 1from the rear of the baking device.

FIG. 5 is a flow-chart of the steps used by the device of FIG. 1 inperforming a proofing and baking cycle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS AND THE PRESENTLY PREFERREDEMBODIMENTS

Turning now to FIGS. 1-4, a baking device 10 is provided. The bakingdevice 10 may be configured to both “proof” an unrisen food product(such as dough, or combinations of dough and other foods, or other typesof food products that might be known in the art to require, or benefitfrom, a proofing operation and a baking operation, in series) providedwithin a baking volume 12 of the device as well as bake the food productdisposed therein. As is well known in the art, “proofing” a food productis known as allowing time for the food product (such as un-risen dough)to rise prior to cooking, which may expeditiously occur in anenvironment with a relative high humidity, and with a temperature overnormal ambient temperature, such as about 105 degrees Farenheit.

The baking device 10 may be configured to automatically align itself forproofing as well as for baking, such that both operations can occurwithin the baking device 10 without any operator action.

The baking device 10 includes a housing 20 that encloses a baking volume12 and an air handling compartment 14. The baking compartment 12 isdefined by an upper wall 21, a right wall 23, a left wall (not shown,but similar to the right wall), a lower wall 22, and a pressure panel 30that forms the rear wall of the baking compartment 12. The walls thatform the baking compartment 12 are each rigidly mounted to the housing20 of the baking device 10 with suitable support and fasteningstructures as known in the art. The baking compartment 12 is normallyenclosed by one or two doors 28 that are pivotably mounted to thehousing 20 and can be selectively opened and closed to selectivelyenclose the baking compartment 12 and allow access therein.

In some embodiments, the baking compartment 12 is vented to theatmosphere through a vent 80, which communicates with the bakingcompartment 12 through a vent opening 82. The vent 80 may be open to theatmosphere, or in some embodiments may be controlled by a door, which isoperatively controlled to expose or conceal the vent by the controller100 (shown schematically in FIG. 1).

The housing 20 further encloses an air handling compartment 14, which ispartially enclosed by the pressure panel 30, as well as portions of thehousing 20 that enclose the upper, lower, rear and side walls of the airhandling compartment 14. The air handling compartment 14 includes ablower wheel 40 that is rotatably connected to a motor. The blower wheel40 includes a plurality of fins 42 that extend from a rotor 43 of theblower wheel 40. The blower wheel 40 may be mounted in conjunction withan aperture 32 in the pressure panel 30 that allows for air to flow fromthe baking compartment 12 and into the blower wheel 40 when the blowerwheel 40 is rotating. As shown schematically in FIG. 2, rotation of theblower wheel 40 urges air to flow along the flow-path X, i.e. from thebaking compartment 12, through the aperture 32, into the blower wheel 40and then radially outward from the blower wheel 40.

The blower wheel 40 may further include one or more spouts 44 that aredisposed upon the rotor 43 of the blower wheel (or another suitablelocation upon or with respect to the blower wheel 40). The spouts 44 areconfigured to spray water onto the fins 42 (or another portion) of theblower wheel 40 as it is rotating. The water spray is “cut” by the fastmoving blower wheel, which atomizes the water and increases the humiditywithin the air handling compartment 14 and the baking compartment 12(due to the air flow pattern discussed below). The controller (shownschematically as 100) is operationally connected to the blower wheel 40(as well as other portions of the baking device 10, such as the heaters48) to selectively operate the blower wheel 40 and the injection ofwater through the spouts 44, based upon the operation of a water system49 (FIGS. 2 and 4).

As mentioned above, the air handling compartment 14 is separated fromthe baking compartment 12 by the pressure panel 30. The pressure panel30 may be mounted to a plurality (such as four) standoffs (not shown)that are fixed to the back panel 25. In other embodiments, the pressurepanel 30 may be mounted to one or both of the right side wall 23 and theleft side wall, such that an edge of the pressure panel 30 rests snugglyupon the right side wall 23 and the left side wall, or with a mountingstructure therebetween. In some embodiments, the pressure panel 30 andone or both of the upper and lower walls 21, 22 define an upper space Yand a lower space Z, respectively, therebetween that allows for fluidcommunication from the air handling compartment 14 to the bakingcompartment 12.

In some embodiments, the upper space Y and/or the lower space Z mayextend along the entire width of the baking compartment 12, while inother embodiments, the upper space Y and/or the lower space Z may extendalong only a portion of the width of the baking compartment 12, and maybe centered within the baking compartment 12 or offset within the bakingcompartment 12. As best appreciated by FIG. 2 (and discussed furtherbelow), the upper space Y and lower space Z each provide a space for airflow from the air handling compartment 14 to return to the bakingcompartment 12 (shown schematically as W), which is urged due to forcedflow when the blower wheel 40 is rotating, as well as when the secondaryblower 50 (discussed below) is operating.

In other embodiments, the pressure panel 30 may be mounted to one orboth of the upper and lower panels 21, 22 with gaps formed between theside edges of the pressure panel 30 and respective right panel 23 and/orleft panel (left panel not shown but similar to the right panel 23). Theair flow from the air handling compartment 14 to the baking compartment12 in this embodiment would be similar to the air flow path W depictedin FIG. 2 although one of ordinary skill would easily understand thatthe flow path would be between the side gaps between the pressure panel30 and the side walls.

The air handling compartment 14 further includes a secondary blower 50that is mounted to inject air (which may be drawn from the ambient orfrom another source) into the air handling compartment 14. The secondaryblower 50 is configured to operate to inject air into the baking device10 to increase the pressure within the housing 20, and specifically thebaking compartment 12, to urge the air to exit the baking compartment 12through the vent 80 (discussed above). As shown schematically in FIG. 2,during operation of the secondary blower 50, air enters into the airhandling compartment 14 from the discharge of the secondary blower 50 asshown as path V, and upon interaction with the rear surface of thepressure panel 30, either flows upward (past the blower wheel 40) andinto the baking compartment 12 through the upper space Y, or downwardand into the baking compartment through lower space Z. The secondaryblower 50 normally operates when the one or more doors 28 are closed toallow the environment within the baking compartment 12 to be changed out(i.e. the relatively hot air and or the relatively humid air) rapidlydue to the pressure increase within the baking compartment 12, whichurges air within the cooking compartment 12 to exit through the vent 80.The secondary blower 50 (operating in conjunction with the otherfeatures of the baking device 10) allows for the device 10 to changebetween “proofing” and baking configurations in a relatively rapidmanner and without any operator action or manual reconfiguration of thedevice.

The discharge of the secondary blower 50 may be selectively isolated bya flapper 54. In some embodiments, the flapper 54 is normally shut toprevent the flow of air from within the air handling compartment 14 toflow into the secondary blower 50 when not in operation. The flapper 54is configured to open (either by the discharge pressure of the secondaryblower 50 or automatically (with a solenoid or other suitable operator(shown schematically as 55 a in FIG. 4)) to allow the discharge of thesecondary blower 50 to enter the air handling compartment 14, along airflow path V shown schematically in FIG. 2. In other embodiments, theflapper may be biased, or urged, toward the open (or closed) positionwith a spring 55, or alternatively biased by to the force of gravityacting upon the flapper 54. In embodiments, where the flapper 54 isbiased to the closed position, the flapper 54 may be selectively openedby a solenoid or other automatic and remote opening feature (thatoperates against the biasing force), or may be opened due to thedischarge force of the secondary blower 50 imparted upon the flapper 54.Alternatively, in embodiments, where the flapper 54 is biased open, asolenoid or other automatic and remote opening feature (that operatesagainst the biasing force) may be provided to automatically close theflapper 54 when appropriate.

FIGS. 1-4 each show the flapper 54 as partially open, and one ofordinary skill in the art will understand with reference to thisspecification that the flapper 54 can move to (or be moved to) aposition where the discharge of the secondary blower 50 is isolated. Oneof ordinary skill will also appreciate that the flapper 54 may be ableto open more fully than depicted in the figures (such as at anorientation substantially parallel to the direction of air flow from thesecondary blower 50) as urged by the air flow, or as urged open byanother structure, such as a solenoid valve. In some embodiments, theflapper 54 may be hingedly attached to the housing 20, at one of thetop, bottom, or right or left sides of the flapper 54 and be urged tothe isolation positions by a spring (shown schematically in FIG. 3 as55).

In use and as shown in FIG. 5, the device 10 may operate with the bakingcompartment 12 operating as a proofer (i.e. a holding environment for afood product (such as dough) to allow the food product to expeditiouslyrise in the presence of a somewhat elevated temperature over roomtemperature as well as a relatively high humidity). The device 10 maythen be automatically configured such that the baking compartment 12 isconverted to a baking environment, with the temperature thereinincreased to a normal baking temperature (e.g. 350-375 degrees) with alower humidity than in the proofing step.

Initially, the baking compartment 12 is configured to receive anun-risen food product therein, which may occur when the bakingcompartment has a temperature and humidity similar to ambientconditions, or in a situation where the baking compartment has anincreased temperature (e.g. to about 90 degrees) and/or with anincreased humidity. If the baking compartment 12 needs to be adjusted(either in humidity or temperature) to a proofing environment, then theheaters 48 may be cyclically operated to increase the temperature withinthe baking compartment 12, and/or the blower wheel 40 and associatedwater system 49 and spouts 43 may be operated to increase the relativehumidity of the baking compartment 12 (through fluid and thermalcommunication with the air handling compartment 14 through one or moreof the aperture 32, and the upper and lower spaces Y, Z) (step 500). Theoperation of the heaters 48 and/or the blower wheel 40 and water system49 may be operated by the controller 100 in response to variousparameter measurements of the baking compartment 12 made by temperature,humidity, or other sensors (shown schematically as 200 in FIG. 1)disposed with respect to the baking compartment 12.

After the baking compartment 12 is at a suitable proofing temperatureand humidity, the food product is received within the baking compartment12 (as monitored by the opening and closing of the doors 28, or by aninput provided by the operator) (step 510), the baking compartment 12may be maintained with these conditions for a sufficient time foradequate rising of the food product, as controlled by the controller 100(step 520). In some embodiments, the controller 100 may bepre-programmed with various “recipes” or operations to control theoperation of the device (such as the proofing time) based upon an inputby the user (into an input device, either on the baking device 10 orassociated with the baking device 10) of the food to be proofed andbaked. In other embodiments, the elapsed proofing time may be monitoredby the user, and the steps to reconfigure the baking compartment 12 forbaking may be directed by the user.

After the completion of the sufficient proofing time, the controller 100may initiate flow of the secondary blower 50 (step 530). In embodimentswhere the position of the flapper 54 is controlled by the controller 100(and not based upon the discharge pressure of the secondary blower 50),the controller 100 provides the appropriate signal to open the flapper54 prior to initiating the secondary blower 50. The operation of thesecondary blower 50 increases the pressure within the baking compartment12, which urges the air therewithin (with a relatively high humidity) toexit the baking compartment through the vent 80, which is replaced withair that is at the ambient humidity. In some embodiments, the secondaryblower 50 may cycle for a sufficient time to replace an amount of airequivalent to a certain number of volumes of the baking compartment 12(or the combined baking compartment 12 and air handling compartment 14),such as 5 or 10 volumes, to ensure that the humidity of the bakingcompartment 12 has decreased to acceptable levels for baking. In otherembodiments, the secondary blower 50 may operate for as long as neededto have the monitored humidity within the baking compartment 12 (asmonitored by a humidity sensor 200) to decrease to acceptable levels.

After the secondary blower 50 has operated for a sufficient amount oftime and/or an acceptable humidity has been reached (as monitored by thesensors 200 and controller 100), the secondary blower 50 is secured andthe flapper 54 is allowed to close (or is closed by the controller 100)(step 540). The heaters 48 then operate to increase the temperature ofthe baking compartment 12 to the normal baking temperature, ascontrolled by the controller 100 (step 550). In some embodiments, thebaking temperature may be stored in the controller 100 based upon arecipe, or the cooking temperature may be inputted into the device 10 bythe user. In some embodiments, the blower wheel 40 may be rotated duringthe operation of the heaters 48 to increase the uniformity of thetemperature within the baking compartment 12 (due to the flow paths Xand W, FIG. 2, when the blower wheel 40 is operating). After the desiredtemperature is reached, the heaters 48 (and blower wheel 40 asappropriate) are cyclically operated to maintain the temperature (eithera constant temperature, or in some embodiments a controlled but changingtemperature if appropriate) for a desired baking time (step 560). At theconclusion of the baking time, the controller 100 initiates an alarm tonotify the user that the food product can be removed from the bakingcompartment 12.

Upon removal of the food product, the controller further operates thedevice 10 as desired based upon the user (which may include the userproviding certain inputs of the next desired step, i.e. anotherproofing/baking cycle, another baking (only) cycle, etc.). In someembodiments, the opening and closing of the one or more doors 28 maygenerate a signal to the controller 100 that the food product has beenremoved, while in other embodiments, the user may manually indicate thatthe food product has been removed. The controller 100 in this stepconfirms that the baked food product has been removed from the bakingcompartment (step 570).

The controller 100 then may request the user to provide furtherinstructions of what the next operation of the device 10 that is desired(step 580). Upon receipt of a signal that another proofing/baking cycleis desired (and receives a signal that the food product has been removedfrom the baking compartment 12), the controller 100 then cools down thebaking compartment 12 to an environment suitable for proofing (step590). The controller 100 starts the secondary blower 50 (which opens theflapper 54, or the controller 100 causes the flapper 54 to open), whichintroduces ambient air into the baking compartment 12 and the airhandling compartment 14. The operation of the secondary blower 50increases the pressure within the baking compartment 12, which causesair therewithin to exit the baking compartment 12 through the vent 80.The blower wheel 40 may operate at this time to increase the mixing ofthe air within the baking compartment 12 and air handling compartment14, and in some embodiments, the water system 49 and the spouts 44 mayintroduce water into the air handling compartment 14, to decrease theair temperature due to the energy loss as the water flashes to steam.When the desired proofing temperature is reached (as monitored by thesensors 200 within the baking compartment 12), the secondary blower 50is secured (and the flapper 54 is closed, either automatically, or bythe controller 100). The user is then notified that the bakingcompartment 12 is ready for another proofing cycle. After the controller100 senses that a food product to-be-proofed has been placed within thebaking compartment 12 (by the signals of the one or more doors 28opening and closing, or by an input by the user), the controller 100initiates the next proofing and baking cycle as discussed above.

While the preferred embodiments have been described, it should beunderstood that the invention is not so limited and modifications may bemade without departing from the invention. The scope of the invention isdefined by the appended claims, and all devices that come within themeaning of the claims, either literally or by equivalence, are intendedto be embraced therein.

1-12. (canceled)
 13. A method of baking a food product, comprising:receiving an unrisen food product within a baking compartment of abaking device; allowing the unrisen food product to rest within thebaking compartment for a time to allow the unrisen food product to rise;operating a secondary blower to inject ambient air into the bakingcompartment after the time to allow the unrisen food product to rise iscomplete; and heating the baking compartment to bake the food product.14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of operating thesecondary blower after the heating step is complete.
 15. The method ofclaim 14, further comprising the step of operating the secondary bloweruntil a measured temperature is within a range suitable for receivinganother unrisen food product within the baking compartment and to allowthe another unrisen food product to rest within the baking compartmentfor a time to allow the another unrisen food product to rise.
 16. Themethod of claim 14, further comprising the step of operating thesecondary blower for a predetermined time to allow ambient air urgedinto the baking compartment to cool the baking compartment such that ameasured temperature within the baking compartment is within a rangesuitable for receiving another unrisen food product within the bakingcompartment and to allow the another unrisen food product to rest withinthe baking compartment for a time to allow the another unrisen foodproduct to rise.
 17. The method of claim 13 wherein the baking deviceincludes a blower wheel that is configured to selectively spray liquidwhen the blower wheel is rotating, and further comprising the step ofspraying liquid from the blower wheel to increase a humidity within thebaking compartment.
 18. The method of claim 14, wherein the bakingdevice includes a blower wheel that is configured to selectively sprayliquid when the blower wheel is rotating, and further comprising a stepof spraying liquid from the blower wheel completing the step ofoperating the secondary blower after the heating step is complete. 19.The method of claim 17, further comprising a step of operating theblower wheel after the step of heating the baking compartment to bakethe food product is complete and after a step of monitoring a removal ofthe food product from the baking compartment is complete.